For Better or for Worse
by Infamousplot
Summary: Lady drives Pearl insane. Yet there's nothing he wants less than to see her fall. They push each other, for better or for worse, in hopes that they'll eventually be their best. Haughtyshipping, PearlxPlatinum/Lady/Whatever-You-Wanna-Call-Her.


**I recently read the D&P Platinum manga... And I fell in love with Haughtyshipping ^_^ It's so cute! The way they don't see eye to eye, the reluctant way they show that they care. It's so sweet ^_^ And after watching a few vids on YouTube, I had to write something. I hope to write more. Now I like Twinleaf Shipping too XD So please enjoy. Oh, and I call Platinum (it's Platinum, not Platina like a lot of people think) Lady, since I'm still on the first volume, so it takes place during the first volume I guess.**

**I don't own anything.  
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><p><em>I'm in love with the girl I hate<br>She enjoys pointing out every bad thing about me.  
>I'm in love with a critic and a skeptic, a traitor<br>I'd trade her in a second._

_"She's a Lady"  
>~Forever the Sickest Kids<em>

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><p>Lady had a way about her that infuriated Pearl. The way she turned up her nose, the smug smirk that crossed her face when he asked a "stupid question", the haughty air she carried constantly. She was a little princess, and she knew it, and <em>that<em> was the worst part. He didn't know what he was supposed to do though. How did you break the pride of someone so high above the ground that they almost never bothered to look down?

It turned out it was easier than he'd thought.

The superior attitude that she wielded like a knife was just a form of defense, a weapon to protect her delicate ego, which could shatter as easily as an egg. And when it did, he always regretted it.

Because as much as he told himself he wanted to see the look on her face when he finally showed her up, as much as he strived to prove himself better... To see that broken, weak look in her eyes shattered _him_. Lady was not weak. She wasn't like the other trainers, or the other girls for that matter. Lady had a brain, she was intelligent and she knew how to hold her own on a battle field. Sure, it hadn't seemed that way at first, especially when she was getting chased off by herds of wild pokemon every freaking day, but once she'd gotten the hang of it... She was a natural.

To see her take a stand, determination burning like silver fires in her eyes, was amazing. She had such control, such faith in her pokemon. She didn't fondle over how "adorable" her pokemon were or fret when they got in a tussle. She was powerful. She was a force of nature, and he loved it. To see her pride mangled would destroy him.

He would never say it to her face, but he admired her prowess. Her inability to give up. The curious way she mimicked the "commoners" and how she acted so clueless when it came to real life. She was half ditz, half down to earth, and whenever she wasn't looking... He couldn't help but smile.

He loved the way she treated Piplup like a partner, the way she looked at pokemon with such a bright curiosity. How she never backed down from a challenge.

As infuriating as she was, he couldn't help grinning when he thought of her -providing she wasn't there, of course. She made him want to pull his hair out. Every time she smirked he wanted to put her in her place (wherever that was). With each order he got he only wanted to rebel more. Yet every time he smiled, he felt his heart melt. When he saw that soft look in her eyes, he saw a whole other side of her -the girl that hid beneath her icy exterior. She was impossible, demanding, haughty and arrogant; but she was also the most beautiful, amazing girl he'd ever met.

The thought of her sent his mind into a wild tizzy, and he usually found himself blushing. When they brushed against each other, he felt as though he were burning inside. When she'd fallen and he'd taken her hand, he'd felt as though electricity had jolted through the, and it had taken more effort than he would have liked not to link his fingers with hers and keep her hand right where it was. It was an odd relationship they shared, one moment competing with each other and the next encouraging each other.

He didn't ever want to see her fall. He wanted to boost her up, to help her achieve great things. When she'd won that badge from Roark, he'd felt a surge of pride. When she'd wanted to back out of the Pokemon Contest, ego dented and pride hurt, he'd felt a fire rising in his throat. Like he'd said, Lady wasn't weak -and he refused to see her quit. She was a fighter, a true lady, and to see her dignity tarnished riled him to no end.

He wasn't sure how to explain their friendship. He didn't know where he stood, in reality or in Lady's eyes. He wasn't even sure where she stood.

Being with her made him happy, but at the same time it made him want to scream. They pushed each other, for better or for worse, and even though she drove him crazy... Pearl couldn't imagine what it would be like if she left.

He always wanted Lady to be near. He wanted to push her to be the best, and he hoped she would do the same for him. He wanted to see her smile, to make her laugh. As childish as it sounded... He wanted to hold her hand and just walk with her, to talk, even if it meant they'd end up in a grudge match later. He cared for her. Whether it was just a crush, or something more, Pearl had feelings for Lady that transcended the level of friendship.

He wanted to be with her...

For better, or for worse.

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><p><strong>This pairing rox mah sox off X3 So cute! Please review! Oh, and I threw this thing together at like, 3:00 in the morning, so don;t be to harsh if you don't like it please! Thank you.<strong>


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